A variety of tennis racket stringers of the simpler type utilize a racket gripping frame with a string tensioner comprising basically a small rotable drum with an extended torque arm having a variably positioned weight on it so that when the string is engaged around the drum, with the weight positioned to the proper tension setting, when the weight is released proper tension is achieved.
There are a couple of problems with this device. First, the string must be wrapped several times around the frictional drum to insure that it dosen't slip. This takes additional time as opposed to a single wrapping, as the string must be tensioned a number of separate times representing each crossing of the racket face.
Aside from the means of engaging the string to be tensioned the traditional racket stringer must maintain the weight bar substantially in the horizontal position throughout the tensioning process to insure that the moment arm experienced by the string wrapping drum does not vary. Although a prior art device exists which utilizes a ratchet-type action to permit adjusting the weight arm subsequent to wrapping the string around the drum, because there is no means of positively engaging the string on the drum, it is still subject to slippage and to a certain extent negates the advantage achieved by the incorporation of the ratcheting mechanism.